Potato digger



POTATO DIGGER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 1, 1947 INVENTOR.

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POTATO DIGGER Original Filed March 1,1947

6 Sheets-Sheet 5 as -IEIEE EElIIIIIIIIIIVII 1 INVENTOR.

(ZZZ 7.7 0.4 H. P57555011 May 1-1, 1954 c. H. PETERSON POTATO DIGGER 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed March 1, 194'? cam/T0 HPETE2E$E WWW. Gttorneg Rama! May 11, 1954 POTATO BIGGER Clinton H. Peterson, St. Anthony, Idaho 011811131 No. 2,621,456, dated December 18, 1952,

Serial No. 731,758,

3 Claims.

Matter enclosed rehauo speoificationymatter printed in italics 1 My invention relates to improvements in a potato and root crop digger. 4

It is the principal purpose of my invention to provide certain novel improvements in a potato digger wherebythe potatoes are dug from the ground and separated from the vines and dirt, then delivered into a truck or similar vehicle without allowing the potatoes to drop any substantial distance so that they will not be bruised or damaged. One of the great difilculties with the diggers with which I am familiar is the fact that at some point during their travel from the digging shovels to the vehicle in which they are carried away. the potatoes are treated roughly by being allowed to fall a substantial distance. Up to the time of my invention no potato harvesting equipment, to my knowledge could successfully harvest the potatoes by bulk methods. One method had been to dig and sack on the digger and then transfer the heavy sacks to a vehicle. This invariably results in bruising the potatoes and such bruises are particularly damaging to the potatoes. The difficulty is then when the potato is first dug from the ground. it is rather tender and the bruise may break the skin or at least damage the surface of the potato sufficiently to start decay. Since potatoes are dug and stored for keeping over long periods of time and are oftentimes shipped under varying conditions, it is highly essential that bruising be avoided whenever possible. My invention provides means whereby the loading of the potatoes directly into a. truck or other vehicle box when they are dug can be accomplished without allowing them to drop at the time .of the filling of the vehicle box a distance which would be sufficient to damage them appreciably.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a novel means cooperating with the loading to remove vines and trash from the potatoes without bruising them.

The novel features that I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method I of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be understood from the description of a specific embodiment when read. in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of the elevator conveyor system employed;

Figure 2 is afragmentary side view of the loading elevator;

March 1, 1941. Application for reissue February 2, 1954, Serial No.

in heavy brackets I: appears in theoriginal patent but forms no part of this indicate! the additions made by reissue.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the loader;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of the digger and elevator mechanism of the machine showing it equipped with the usual vine and trash removers instead of my improved separating means;

Figure 7 is a rear end view of the machine shown in plan in Figure 6 with the loading elevator drive mechanism left off;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 1, showing a modified arrangement of the air blast means; and

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the driving mechanism employed.

In the specification the term potatoes includes other root crops.

My invention is shown applied to a potato digger of the general character above described wherein two adjacent digging shovels l0 and H (see Figure 6) and elevators l2 and I3 are mounted in a common frame 9 in a position to dig two rows of potatoes at a time. The frame carrying the diggers and elevators also carries a. power unit H such as the usual internal combus tion engine employed in tractors. The power unit is operably connected, as later described herein, to the elevators, and may have a separate connection (not shown) to the drive wheels which support the main weight of the frame. In connection with the elevators I2 and I3 a cross conveyor I1 is mounted closely beneath the upper ends of the elevators so as to receive the potatoes from the elevator and transfer them to one side of the machine. A fan unit It having outlets l9 and 20 is mounted between the elevators l2 and I3 and is arranged to direct a blast of air across the top of the conveyor [1 to remove vines, etc.

The cross conveyor II delivers the potatoes to a loading conveyor 2|, 23 (see Figs. 1 and 2) which is of novel construction so that it may deliver the potatoes into a loading box 22 mounted on a suitable vehicle for travel alongside the digger. The loading conveyor is made in two sections, one being an elevator 2| which is rigidly supported from the main frame of the digger and of suflicient length to bring the potatoes to a level high enough to pass over the sides of the vehicle box. At the upper end this elevator has pivoted thereto another section 23 which is initially lowered so that its free end It is slightly above the level of the floor in the vehicle to carry" the potatoes downwardly and deliver them close to the floor at the beginning of the loading. It is necessary in order to avoid bruising the potatoes, to deliver them into the box at all times during the loading operation without their falling any sustantial distance. Initially, in the loading, this outer section ofthe loading conveyor can be kept in its lower position and moved along the vehicle box until the floor of the box is covered to a substantial extent. The, operator of the digger has a control mechanism 26 by which he can gradually lift the free end 24 of the outer section 23 of the loading'conveyor as the load fills up the vehicle box. In this fashion the potatoes can be loaded uniformly in the box with the drop from the free end of the loading conveyor being at all times held at a safe limit that will not seriously damage the potatoes. The control mechanism 25 comprises a framework 26 including an arm 26' of the movable section 23, a link 21 leading from the framework. a -yoke or lever arm 28 that is pivoted on the elevator 2| and secured at the top to the link 21, and an operating member 29 secured to the yoke 23 beneath the elevator 2i. The operating member 29 is secured on the piston 3| of an hydraulic cylinder 30. The cylinder 36 is secured on the frame 9 beneath the elevator 2|. A supply .conduit 32 furnishes hydraulic fluid to the cylinder from a pump 33 that is secured on the digger frame adjacent to the operators position. The pump preferably is a conventional manually operable type with a release to permit the fluid return from the cylinder 30 when loading of a vehicle is completed and the movable section 23 is to be lowered into an empty vehicle box.

The elevator 2| and the movable conveyor section 23 have vanes 34, of rubber belting or similar material mounted thereon. These vanes are so arranged as to prevent the potatoes from rolling down the elevator 2| or the section 23 at such a rate as would damage them. The framework 26, the link 21 and the yoke 26 are so constructed as to be entirely out of the way of the conveyor. As shown best in Figures 1 and 2 the elevator section 2| is driven by a chain 36a from a drive shaft 36. The chain a drivesa sprocket shaft 35 for the elevator 2 This shaft is in turn connected by a chain 33 to the lower shaft 33 of the conveyor section 23. The shaft 35 serves also as the pivot for the conveyor section 23.

The fan |3 which is shown as a double unit mounted on the shaft Ila, is connected by a drive shaft 40 and a suitable clutch mechanism 4| to the power shaft 42 of the power unit H. The power unit I4 is also utilized by means of a chain drive 43 to operate the drive mechanism for the elevators I2 and I3, the cross conveyor l1 and the elevator 2|. Figures 1 and 9 illustrate this drive mechanism best. The shaft 36 has sprocket wheels 44 and 46 thereon driving the conveyor II. The shaft 36 drives a shaft 46 that is connected by a sprocket chain 41 to a shaft 46 that drives the elevators E2 and II. The shaft 36 is driven by a cross shaft 49 that is gearedtoa stub shaft that'is driven by a chain 43.

Referring now to Figures 2, 3 and 4, I have found that one of the greatest difficulties in the handling of the potatoes, particularly when the vines are wet, lies in the tendency of the vines to clog and interfere with the ordinary travel of the potatoes from the elevators l2 and I3, over the cross conveyor II to the delivery mechanism the machine.

comprising the elevator 2| and the movable delivery conveyor section 23. It has been customary in the past to provide in potato diggers the vine removing conveyors such as is shown at 6| and 62 in Figures 6 and '7 of the drawings. The conveyors, however, must always travel in the opposite direction to the potatoes delivered from the elevators l2 and II to the cross conveyor ll. The vine removing conveyors do not work well when the vines are wet and are a source of continuous trouble. They are also a source of considerable damage to the potatoes since the fingers 53 thereof oftentimes strike the potatoes with such force as to damage them. If any of the fingers get broken, they must be replaced promptly or difficulty will result due to failure to remove the vines. Much of the material which is picked up-with the potatoes is too small to be caught by the vine conveyors. I have, therefore, developed a method of removing vines and small sticks, dirt particles and the like which utilizes the fan I! to provide a strong blast of air directly beyond each of the elevators l2 and H where they deliver the potatoes and vines to the-cross conveyor l1. These blasts of air strike the material while it is falling and since the blasts are directed upwardly as well as rearwardly, they will blow all wet vines across the conveyor H. The effect on the potatoes is to tend to remove loose dirt particles from them and to retard the falling of the potato because of the upward direction of'the stream of air. The arrangement issuch that the distance for the potatoes to fall from the outlet ends of the elevators l2 and I3 onto the conveyor I1 is kept at a minimum. In fact, the distance is substantially smaller than is commonly necessary where the vine removing conveyors SI and 52 are used.

The air blast outlets I3 and 20 maybe placed,

as illustrated in Figures 1, 4 and 5 beneath the elevators l2 and I3. Alternatively they may be placed as shown in the sectional view, Figure 8. within the elevators at |3a. The ducts leading to the outlets go through one side wall of the elevator supporting frame.

The combination, in a loading device, of the air blast mechanism for separating the vines and trash from the potatoes as they fall from the elevators l2 and I3 to the cross conveyor II, with the elevator 2| and movable lowering section 23 having the soft vanes 34, enablesme to elevate and load the potatoes without bruising or damaging them after digging. The machine effects a great saving in the harvesting of potatoes. It saves time. One operator can run It puts the potatoes in the truck without bruising them and disposes of the vines and trash, wet or dry.

It is believed that the nature and advantages of my invention will be clear from the foregoing description.

Having thus describedmy invention, I claim:

1. In a [potato] root crop digger having means to dig the [potatoes] crop and'a conveyor operable to move the dug [potatoes] crop upwardly and rearwardly from the digging means, loading means operable to deliver the [potatoes] crop as dug and elevated into a vehicle box travelling with the digger, said loading means comprising conveying and elevating means to which the [potatoes are] crop is delivered by the first named conveyor, a lowering conveyor having its receiving end in juxtaposition to the delivery end of said conveying and elevating means and pivoted to said delivery end and manual control mechanism adapted to lift the free end of said lowering conveyor as the load in the vehicle box builds up, said mechanism comprising an upwardly extending framework on the lowering conveyor, a link extending from the top of said framework over the elevating means, a yoke pivoted on the elevating means to which the link is attached and means to swing the yoke on its pivot, said lowering conveyor having means thereon to keep the [potatoes] crop from rolling ofi the lowering conveyor until [they are] it is delivered substantially to the free end thereof.

2. In a potato digger having means to dig the potatoes and a conveyor operable to move the dug potatoes upwardly and rearwardly from the digging means, loading means operable to deliver the potatoes as dug and elevated into avehicle box travelling with the digger, said loading means comprising conveying and elevating means to which the potatoes are delivered by ,the first named conveyor, a lowering conveyor having its receiving end in juxtaposition to the delivery end of said conveying and elevating means and pivoted to said delivery end, manually controlled power means for swinging the lowering conveyor about its pivot to follow the level of potatoes loaded in the vehicle box, said lowering conveyor having transverse vanes of yielding material thereon to keep the potatoes from rolling off the lowering conveyor until they are delivered substantially to the free end thereof.

3. In a potato digger having means to dig the potatoes and a conveyor operable to move the dug potatoes upwardly and rearwardly from the digging means, loading means operable to deas dug and elevated into a liver the potatoes vehicle box travelling with the digger, said loading means comprising conveying and elevating means to which the potatoes are delivered by the first named conveyor, a lowering conveyor having-its receiving end in juxtaposition to the delivery end of said conveying and elevating means and pivoted to said delivery end, said lowering conveyor having spaced upstanding transverse yielding vanes thereon, and means to raise the delivery end of the said lowering conveyor as the loading progresses comprising an arm fixed on the lowering conveyor and extending upwardly above the upper end of the elevating means, a lever arm on the elevating means, a link connecting the upper ends of said arms, and manually controlled means for swinging said lever arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent or the original patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 17.769 Morris Aug. 12, 1930 612,297 Wrightson Oct. 11, 1898 1,072,218 Fanger Sept. 2, 1913 1,114,112 Cizek Oct. 20, 1914 1,518,759 Sayers Dec. 9, 1924 1,715,218 Wright lyiay 28, 1929 2,093,920 McCoy Sept. 21, 1937 2,267,419 Oster Dec. 23, 1941 2,379,198 Templeton June 26, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 786,699 France June 17, 1935 449,058 Great Britain June 19, 1936 

